Apparatus for handling shell casings and the like



March 15, 1960 E. c. DISTLER APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SHELL CASINGS AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 13, 1957 March 15, 1960 C. DISTLER APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SHELL CASINGS AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 13, 1957 March 15, 1960 E. c. DISTLER 2,928,666

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING saw. CASINGS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 13, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet I5 Mar 1960 I E. c. DISTLER 2,928,666

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SHELL CASINGS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 13, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 E. C. DISTLER March 15, 1960 2,928,666

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SHELL cAsINGs AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 13, 1957 United States Patent APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SHELL CASINGS AND THE LIKE I Edward C. Distler, Rydal, Pa., assignor to Jennings Ma- 2111116 Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania V 1 Application September13, 1957, Serial No. 683,883

9 Claims. (Cl. 263-6) The present invention relates to apparatus suited to provide precise positioning; proper orientation and highspeed handling of shellcasings and the like during their manufacture.

In the processing of shell casings, it, is necessary 'selectively to heat-treat'one end of the casings between successive forming or machining operations, specifically, and by way of example, before the "open ends of the casings are reduced in diameter by a drawing operation,

they must be annealed to reduce the hardness. induced during prior processing steps: at another stage of manufacture of the casings, their closed or primer ends must behardened.

In accordance with the present invention as utilized in such annealing, the casings in vertical side-by-side relation are fed in continuous stream with their lower closed ends submerged in a cooling liquid and with their upper open ends passing through a heating zone. During their movement in the direction of feed, thevertically positioned casings are rotated about their respective vertical axes to insure uniformity of the heat-treatment of their upper ends and enhancement of the transfer of heat from their lower submerged ends to the cooling liquid. More particularly, the transport of the casings through and beyond the heating zone to a discharge station is effected by an endless conveyor system having associated track or guide structure which cooperates with the casings to effect their aforesaid rotation while closely maintaining the relative positions of the casings with respect to each other, to the heating means, and to the cooling liquid. The conveyor components engaged by the heated casings are also submerged in the cooling liquid to maintain them, throughout a long sustained run, at suitably low temperature below that of the upper ends of the casings being heat-treated. I For hardening of the primer ends of the casings, essentially the same conveyor and track arrangement may be used to feed the casings'in vertical side-by-side relation with their closed or primer ends uppermost for heating of the closed ends during passage through the heating zone and to effect rotation of the vertically disposed casings during heating of their closed ends. i

Further, in accordance with the invention, the casing feeding means includes a reciprocating slide and a continuously rotating worm synchronized with the endless conveyor to provide a smoothly continuous supply of casings to the conveyor from a multiplicity of sources of supply of casings. As used in annealing, the reciprocating slide and the feed worm also cooperate to reject any improperly oriented casings before they can be fed to the heat-treating zone. As used in hardening, the rejection of improperly oriented casings is effected in advance of the reciprocatingslide. 7

The invention further resides in apparatus having novel and useful features of construction, combination and arrangement hereinafter described and claimed.

For a more complete understanding of the invention,

ICC

reference is made in the following description to the" accompanying drawings in which: I

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus; 3

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view taken on line 2-- -2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view takenon line 3-3 of' Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view taken on line Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail view in side elevation of parts shown in Figs. 1 and 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of apparatus shown in pre ceding figures; I

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view in end elevation illustrating a modification of parts shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a modified discharge station for the apparatus ofFigs. 1

Fig. "9 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a inodi fied transfer station for the apparatus of Figs. l to 5;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary end-elevational view showing in section parts appearing in Fig. 11; and

Fig. 11 is a sectional view in side elevation of inverting and rejection mechanism for addition to the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 5.

pipelS. The shell casings 14,.to be treated are transported side-by-side in vertical position, with their lower closed primer-ends below the surface of the liquid, by an endless conveyor 15. Preferably and asv shown, the conveyor is of the chain type extending over sprockets whose shafts 17 and 18 are vertically disposed adjacent opposite ends of tank 10. The bevel gear 19 attached toshaft 17 (Figs. 1 and 3) engages the pinion 20 attached to the main drive shaft 21'which extends to a motor or other driving means (not shown). V t

For at least a substantial part of its path from th shell-receiving station A to the shell-discharging station B, any substantial sidewise or vertical displacement of the conveyor 15 is precluded by the track o'r guide mernbers 22, 22 which, as best shown in Fig. 4, serve as con-' tinuous stops engageable by the cross-bars 23 and link members 24 of the conveyor chain. From the upper face of the conveyor chain, there extends a plurality of short rollers 25 rotatable about vertical axes spaced along the length of the conveyor chain and spaced to'define shell-receiving gaps or pockets along the outer periphery of the conveyor. The track member 26 extending adjacent the inner periphery of the conveyor from the receiving station to the discharge station engages the rollers 25 to effect their rotation for purposes later described. The rollers 25 may be of metal or preferably of heatinsulating material, such as ceramic or nylon.'

The depth to which the shell casings 14 are immersed in liquid 11 during their transport by conveyor 15 is de termined by the rail 27 which engages the'bottom ends ofv the casings to support them. The track or guide 28 adjacent the outer periphery of conveyor 15 from the receiving station A to the discharge station Bengages the shells to retain them in vertical position andQin engagement with the rollers 25 of therconveyor; The track member 28 may be of metal or preferably of heat-insulating material, such as nylon or Fiberglas. Thus, as

the shell casings are moved by conveyor 15 along the path from the receiving station to the discharge station, they are rotated about their individual vertical axesdue to the engagement of each of the casings with a pair of" 2 ,928,666 Patented Mar. 15,

r i a Tamas-nee conveyor-rollers 25 andthetrack 28. Such engagement chronizedithat'theggapjetwe n each pair of rollers reis insured despite the flexibility of the conveyor chain or wear of the roller axles or :bearings by the inner track 2dr, The iroller-engaging surface of: track member; 2.6a. maybe faced with rubber; v or requivalent I6Siii611t m8rterial to enhance the .coefiicient of ffriction.

During transport of the casings by the COHVEYOLISL their upper .openrendsiare passed through a heatingczone conveyohtlS alone;as' -above'"described, and the pockets 'in which theadvancing-casi rigsare 'advancedare defined in which their temperature israised; as by an alternating magnetic field or by;:gas fiaines, to an elevated temperature suited'for annealing. 1a Figs. 1 and 4,the heating;

zoneis i diagrammatically; illustrated as, defined .b'yv the Housing Her 'a heating'device. As indicated in Fig. 4, about; the. upper .half of V the :casing is within the heating zone and less than about the lower quarter -,of the casingistbelowc thel liquid. and there engaged by. the conveyor rollers and track' structure.

Thecrotation, of the casings about their axesaas the continuousrstreain of casingsis moved in a predetermined pathm-inathe heatingzone, insures uniformity of'heating ofthedsuccessive .casings and proper uniformityof the Q temperature-gradients lengthwise of the individual casings:

withsthelowenejector-grooved ends of the casingsfime mersed below-the surface of liquidll, there is prevented undue, temperature rise, and the primer-ends of the casings therefore desirably remain in hard or unannealed state.

Theyrotation ,of-th'e casings also contributes to uniformity offtransfer ,off heat from the lower ends of the casings to the li'quidbec'a'use of the enforced'circulation or.stir-' ring of itj.;- It isalsoto be noted that the conveyorand guidepartsLinJcOntact with' the heated "casings are sub- 16w: despite a long continuous Z heat-treating run.

The hold-.downrail 5 6 (Fig; 4) extends into the ejector groove of the casings to overcome the magnetic force of theinduction 'heating field'which tends to lift the casings upyvardlyfromthe conveyor." This force may 'be as great as "onefpoun'd'per casing. 7

' mergedjin liquid 11, so that'their temperature remains liquid respectively, in contact with theupper and lower ends ofthe casingsyarestirred'or circulated to afford By the time the casings reach:

uniformity 'of- "cooling.

the dis'charge station; their upper ends'are annealed'and" theindividiial-casings,as a whole, are sufficientlyreduced in 'itemperature to withstand the'impacts incident to dis charge 'andsubsequent normal handling. t

a 5o Asthe-casings approach the discharge station at s theend ofith'ercoolingg zone; they are lifted'upwardly'from v thepath of' the-conveyor rollers 25 bythe ramp extension 29o f'th'elower guide rail 27' (Figs. 1, 4, 5.and'6) and are' directed outwardly from the conveyor intdafdischarge" ch'utez 30 by the guides 31A; 31B whichi respectively engage'the -opposite sides'of the casings being moved upwardly' of the ramp 29 by conveyor 15. The discharge] guides 31A; 313 may be supported as' by bracket-32 (Fi'gs6) from the stationary framework of the conveyor;

The receivingendof :the discharge chute 30 is above the level of liquid intank 10,so that the discharge of an-1 nealed casings from the tank is not accompanied by discharge'of cooling liquid. Y

The=shell casings are fed to conveyor 15iby a coarse'f wormz.33l (Figs: 1, 3 and 6). The lower'ends of the casings during their 'feed by the worm rest'uponthe exceives, as it moves to station A; a casing being advanced in the gap between adjacent turns of the worm 33. Thus, at the-receiving station, the shell casings are advanced in closed pockets defined by the conveyor rolls 25 and the thread of the Worm 33.1: Beyond the receiving station A, the continued transport of the casings is effected by 'by'conveyorrrolls Ziand-Ihe outertguide 28 which begins-5 at the discharge endlof worn1 33;,-E- y i As apparent from the foregoing-description;:the:casings as continuously fed byfwor ms33 to conveyor 15, and as continuously advanced"by' conveyor l5 through" the annealing zone or equivalentfiare in -asingle stream of ertical casings disposed side-by-side.

As now described; the casings as delivered to the transfer station .C ar e in a rnultiplicity gofvcolumns in which the. casings .are ,di'sposed endnoeendr in ,the respective .de-r

the delivery tubes are received by the block 37 of a transfer}mechanism-38;havinga reciprocating, slide 39. 'The rronr;rae';(ri ,-3 )Lyo f ithecslide is; provided with grooves 40, whichiforgthe .retracted,.,position.,of the slide, are in; alignment. witli.andaformicontinuations of "the respective.

deIiveryQtuBes-BGQI 'Thus, with the slide in suchposition, rthere issexposed Tat the'ropencfront face of block 37 for transferl'to worm, 33 La group ofcasings.corresponding-in.

nur'n ben to the,nun bercofadeliveryrtubesa These lower-J most casings ofthe columns rest upon the bottorn.41; r

(Fig.1) of the bloclc37. somewhatvabove'the extension 27A'of the bottom guide..rail,27'.l B'ouncing of thecas-s ingsioutj oft the transfer,blocklaswthey'; are permitted to. fall from the' delivery tubesr36 and: into position in front i of the-retracted slide 39 is .precludedrby the gate 42, which; for such position of-.th'e slide, is in itslower position blockv-t ing the p'athlof movement ofgthercasingsfrom the topen-c front slide-compartment .offtransfer .block 37. l 7 As .the slide .39 issmovedloward its forwardfipositiont. V :(Fig 2), the. gate.;42,.is liftedso tli'ata grouplofverticallyf dispose'd'ieasings ishpushcdrhyhth'e slide out of thetransfer. block 37 Iandtso permitted itoia'lliinto the series of gaps I between]successively, adjacentsturns :of-{the' worm 33. a

' If any one or motecasingsiof "th'elgroupare improperly orientedfie, phavingxitsgheavier primer end .upperinost t sucheasingixerrrplifid hyflcasing MAof Figs. 2 and 6) does not remain,- in then'corresponding gap but topples over the worm 33,into.collectingwbasket '43'(Figs. l1

and? 2) Thus, ,the..wro1ig' ends oi improperly oriented t casings. are nottannealedmandihe casings sotrejectedtat the transfer sstationqandc'collected in basket. 43 may .be re.-;

. turned to..-any, of'ithe, feed =l1opperslof delivery tube 36i fon bsequent processing "The properly oriented :casings; lie at an angle (Fig 6) with'theirj sidesrrestings-uponnthe'rootdiameter of the worm 33ai1d their. heavybottomsends resting onethe rail extension 5271*; (Fig; 2); As :the :worm: advances the i re-:

tainedl'casin'gstxinto iengagemenfwithwplate 85(Figs; 1

and 6), they are progressively tilted; to vertical position' andare' successively transfrred' in such position to convey o'r15l j a Asi theslidei-39 moves" to' its advanced position to discharge ai'group bfiicasings; toaworm 33, the upper end tensionil'lAiFigs. 1 and 2) of 'rail 27;; Each vertically disposed casing is received by the gap" between adjacent turnssof theworr'n and 'is also engaged'by the inn r:

guide-s85 which'lis substantially tangent 'tojthe path of thecconveyor rolls :25 at the receiving station A of con-'- veyortrlSa Thepitch of the worm 33 matches 'the axial spacingi'ofiithei-conveyorqrolls 25 and the drivie 'of 'the" wormsthrongh:gearss34;i35-(Figs. 1 and) is}so 'stjl'l retainediib thesgatei-4 gwhichshastinrthmmeantime deer of-{the slide blocks the lower endsof'the delivery tube 36to support th'e lowermost casings of the columns in theidelivery tubes. As thewslideQ39 moves back totits. retracted position; thissnextrgroup of lowermost casings.

falls gintol; theatransierw block-compartment in frontzsoii slide 39 and in alignmeneiwitlrithe r respective grooves- 40aof .thbrzslid ei;. These easinge are there; temporarily scended toutssrlowerzfpositionra Thus; fonzreach zcyclenoi ing es}; gagroupi:ofii'ertieally disposedfcasingsi is: segrethe spiral thread of the worm. The rail 27, or at least its extension 27A at the transfer station, is also nonmetallic'to minimize bounce: it may, for example, be athermosetting plastic strip impregnated with fibres of nylon or the like.

The horizontal reciprocation of the transfer slide 39 is effected by the cam 44 (Figs. 1, 2) which is continuously driven from the main shaft 21 by a gear train including gears 45, 46. The cam 44 engages the cam follower roller 47 at the end of the push rod 48 which is biased as by compression spring 49 to its forward position.

The ratio between the revolutions of the feed worm 33 and the reciprocations of the slide 39, as determined by the gear ratios of the worm and cam drives, corresponds with the number of delivery tubes so as to form an unbroken stream of continuously moving casings in the feed worm 33 and conveyor 15 from the groups of casings intermittently fed from the columns of casings in the delivery tubes. Furthermore, theworm and cam drives are so synchronized that at the time of dischargefof a group of casings from the transfer block 37, the gaps between successive adjacent turns of the feed worm are respectively in alignment with the corresponding grooves 40 of the'slide 39. To make such synchronization less the thickness of the worm thread at station C is appreciably less than at station A. Thus,as shown in Figs. 1

and 3, the gap between adjacent turns offthe thread at station C is appreciably greater than the diameter of the casings, whereas at the conveyor-receiving station A the gap between adjacent turns of the thread is only slightly greater than the casing diameter. 7 Thus, even whenthe casings are being processed at high rate, there is no jamming at either the transfer station or the conveyor-receiving station.

The vertical reciprocation of the gate 42 is effected by cam 50 (Figs. 1 and 2) driven from main shaft 21 and engaging the cam-follower pin 51 extending from one of the arms 52 of the gate mechanism. The arms 52 are pivotally supported by stud shafts 53 extending from the frame members 54 which are also provided with bearings for the main drive shaft 21 and the cam shaft 55.

By the apparatus described, 30 calibre shell casings have beensatisfactorily annealed at their open ends at rates as high as 430 casings per minute and without appreciable loss of hardness of the ejector ends of the casings. Further, all improperly oriented casings were automatically ejected by the apparatus before annealing of the wrong end in avoidance of subsequent drawing difiiculties and loss of casings by rejection as scrap.

The same conveyor and guide arrangement may be used for feeding shell casings in vertical side-by-side relation with their closed primer ends uppermost for hardeningheat-treatment. In such case, the hold-down rail 56. of Fig. 4 is. omitted or removed and afhold-down rail 56A of quartz or like material of high electrical and thermal resistance is disposed (Fig. 7) along the underface of the top of they induction heater tunnel H for engagement by the closed upper ends of the casings. Also,

for such heat-treatment, the heating zone may terminate at or immediately ahead of the dischargestation B and at such station the casings as lifted up and away from the conveyor 15 are discharged into a quenching tank 71 (Fig. 8) through an open bottom compartment defined by a reentrant wall section 57 of tank 10. Also in such case, since the casings are now dropped'to the feed;

worm with their heavy ends uppermost, a hold-in plate 58 is disposed (Figs. 9, above and along the feed worm at the transfer station to retain the. casings so oriented in the feed worm gaps in advance to conveyor 15. x

The casings, as delivered to the transfer block, should for this use of the apparatus be primer-end uppermost.

of axially spaced series of radial chambers.

Usually, however, the casings as delivered from a hopper to the receiving ends of the feed tubes 36 are closed-end downward. To deliver the casings closed-end uppermost to the transfer block 37, and to eject reversely oriented casings, the mechanism shown in Fig. 11 is interposed in the feed tube system.

When the reciprocating slide 59 is in the retracted position shown, each of its chambers 60 receives a casing from the corresponding feed tube section 36A. When i the slide 59 is moved to the left, its chambers 60 respectively come into alignment with the corresponding apertures 61 of bottom plate 62 and the group of casings fall freely in parallel open-front chutes into each of which projects a biased finger 63. If the falling casing is prop erly oriented, i.e., closed-end lowermost, the finger 63 is merely rocked about its pivot 64 clear of the casing and the casing continues to fall through the chute and thence-into and through the feed tubesection 36B.

I The drum 65 rotatable about a horizontal axis below the feed tube sections 36B is provided with a plurality The chambers of each series are angularly spaced, and each in turn is moved into alignment with the corresponding 1 feed tube section 36B as the drum is rotated step-by-step.

For each stepping operation, a group of casings is received, closed-end lowermost, by the uppermost group of chambers 66 spaced axially of the drum. After the first few stepping cycles, a group of casings is delivered. closed-end uppermost, fromthe drum 65 to the'corre-v spending feed tube sections 36C which extend downwardly to the transfer device 38 previously described.

While the groups of casings are being inverted by drum 65, they are prevented from prematurely falling out of the drum by the retainer plate 67 or equivalent which extends along the drum and upwardly from the support 68 of the receiving ends of the feed tube sections 36B in close proximity to the peripheral surface of the drum The mechanism for actuating the slide 59 effects one cycle of reciprocation for each step of drum 65 and for each cycle of the reciprocation of slide 39 to maintain,

under normal operating conditions, the intermittent feed of groups of casings at a rate which keeps the conveyor 15 filled with casings having their closed ends uppermost.

As above stated, if a casing falls through an aperture 61 with its closed end down, it merely rocks the finger 63 out of its path and continues on to the inverter 65 and eventually to conveyor 15. If, on the other hand, 'a casing falls through an aperture 61, with its open end lowermost, the finger 63 enters into the open end of the casing which, under its momentum, swings counter-clockwise in an are determined by the pivot of the finger 63. Such motion brings the closed end of the casing outside of the chute with its lower side striking the bar 69 adjustably positioned below the finger pivot. The casing thereupon falls outwardly and away from the normal path of movement of the properly oriented casings. 'As soon as the improperly oriented casing is-thus ejected, the

finger 63 returns to the original position (Fig. 11) to Y which biased by its weighted tail section. The normal receiving ,.station.;thethickness .ofithe worms-thread pro successive groups of casings from the slide, and in which;

advantages-side high speed' iprecisely'vpositionedihandlifnga and :unitorhzitYvof heat treatmentrof L"aasel'ectedlendeof i other sobjee'tsy. suehaas studs;bolts";a'lidthe :like:

' whatzisficlaimedt isz j 1. liitaniapparatustsuitedftfortheatstreatingshellicasings a comprisingu'astankzrfor containing-liquid iandsaaheating devicezforrprovidingz'a heatingtzone abovethe" liquid,:l

casingefeeding'zmeans'including zauconveyor having vertiet' cal'ly 'spacedspocketsxfor receiving; said rtcasin'gszito rtrans-t portstthemxinrvertical lside-byl-side relation: through said r 10 .v

zoneztosa =disehargex:station, .,a feed-worm; havingxspaces s betweem adjacent thread;- turns, rcorrespondingnwithi the spacing of said conveyor pockets and=,extendinggadjacenti saidzconveyorvat.a;casing5receiving station, and areciprocatingqslide shaving igro ovessforreceiving. in each cycle: i of-sreciprocationaargnoup f Ecasingshconcurrently trans-1 ferred to corresponding spaces:betweenadjacent threads 1" of-lthe feedeworm casing-positioning means comprising; 7 structure bCiOWrSflidaCOIlllfiYQl'. pockets forLsupporting said casings iwith ;their-. ilower;;ends-t submerged in said liq uid 120 andywith th'e supper; ends" extending above said, pockets 1 and saidliliquid ini;a p ath ofnmovement including said 1 heating zone; andf-m'eans at said, discharge. station ifor: removing {the i casinggirom; the conveyor and: said liquids 2. An'tapparatus as .in; claim; ;1 in-t whichg saidtstructure. 25f.

for l engaging the lower ends. of athei casings includes 1 an i 7 extensiondisposed adjacent and along the feed-worm toil v engage the bottomfendszofthe, groups ofucasings transferred by the reciprocating slide, and iniwhich the-root;

-of;the feedrwormnand said extension are .atv least facecigi-m with piastic=toasuppressbounce-back: of the casings,

3. Anapparatus as inclaim 1 in-whichatthe conveyor t vides a gap between adjacentthread turns: closely corre-tspondingwith the-casing diameter and whichat the-transe- 5T fe gstationzis reduced-to providea gap b'etweeniadjacent 7 thread ,turns which; appreciably exceeds the .casing diam-i I eter p w r a i 4.- An; apparatus 381 in claim 2. in which said'extension is. slightly; below the axis of; rotation ofsaidl worm so thataimploperly oriented casingstopple .overithe worrnu andare; not retained for [transfer .to theaconvcyor; ands transport thereby through 1 saideheating "zone.

,5.- Aniapparatussas in claim 1 in which tthe-icentert-tocenter spacing; of :conveyor, pockets androf said .slide grooves :correspondsLwith thetpitchiofsaid feed-Worm,

in which-the conveyor and wormdrives are synchronized. for mating of; theitconveyor pockets .with: the worm; thread gaps tat the receiving station, inrwhichthe worm andtslide drivest'are synchronized .for' intermittent feed-t ing movement ofthe slide with .saidrgrooves ingnlignment with: the t wormdhreadlgaps at the time of; free-fall of.

the ratio ofttthe worm and slide drives corresponds 'with theanumber l of :casings. per 1 group,

6; Apparatus for handling shell casings comprising an endless-conveyorv disposed in a substantially horizontal.

plane and comprising a plurality'of rollers having vertical axesspacedalong the: conveyor to definegaps for re-: ceiving the-casings in 'vertlcal side-by-side relation; a casingfeed-worm' rotatable about a horizontal: axis ex tendingparallel to and adjacentthe path ofsaid rollers,

means for intermittently feedinggroups ofcasingstto an,

' into thetgaps between adjacentturns of the feed-wonn 7 said .casings' as received-by the teed-worm lying atl ant-35 angletinclined from vertical, structure disposed below. saidaxis of the feed-worm and the pathhof said rollers.-

' forcengagementsbythe lowerends, of the casings. as-re-rgee-assess ceived:bythfeedmormizanddmadvancedethereby" imo:- the gaps tabetweenzsaidkonveyorcrollers; andaplate:struee v feeding tmeansgincluding anz iendlessconveyorsubmerged in-gsaid liqui d and 1 having; vertically spaced rpockets :forr

receivings'aidcasings to transport then z in Nerticali-Side-rby-side-relation through said tzonettoa di scharge station said poclcets-being each defined fby apair of rollers which} n are spaced to engage a casing-at regions angula'rly spaced; aboutitsevertical axis lsaidrtrollersrextending,.,upwardly p from; the .conveyor i andzrotatable .about ..vet:ticaL Q axes v spacedlengthwisieof the conveyor,grailtstructurecktendei ing alongsaid c onveyor belowsaid! conveyorlpocketstandl in saidliquidfor. supporting saidcas ings with their lower;

ends 'submerged in said liquid andjwith theirlupper en'ds'e extendihgrabove said pockets and said liquid in a pathiofi' movement including, said heatingtzone, track members disposed ontoppos itenside's of "saidrollers and respectivelj engaging ,said, rollers andjthe supported (casings, continuously ;to' efiect rotation. of y the, casings. about their vertical 5': axes while moved by thewconveyor through and beyond: saidtheating zone in obtainment of tuniformity of heating;

of theupper portions of the casings and fof heat-transfer:

from the lower submerged ends or the casings; and .means f at said discharge station for removing the casings ..fr'oml theeonveyor and from said 'liquid'f'l" V .9; An "apparatus suited'for theat-treating"shell"casings comprising aftank for containing liquid," 2. heatingg device for i producing" afhe ating zone above 7 said liquid, said heating device producing a n-alternating magneticifield fdr heating ot the casingsby induction; casingfeeding means 7 including r an'endl'ess' conveyor submerged in said liquid and having vertically: spaced pockets for receivingsaid" casings to transport them in' vertical side-by-side relation? through said zone to a discharge, station, casing-positioning meansicomprising rail structure extending along said conveyor below said conveyor pocketsand in said liquid for-supporting saidcasings jwiththeir lower ends sub-- merged? insaid liquid and with their upper ends extending" 0 above said pockets and said liquid in a path of movementi including said heating zone; means foretfecting rotation of the-casings about their verticalaxes while "subjected l V topsaid alternating magnetic field; a-hold-down' guidekextendinginto the ejector grooves ofth'e'casingstoprevent -the1rt upward movement 'bysaid magnetic field :while per?" mitting their aforesaidirotation, and means at said 'dis e charge-station for removingitheizcasingsfrom the con veyor. and sai 'dliquid. 

